JP2022531114A - Electronic aerosol supply system - Google Patents

Abstract

The aerosol delivery system includes a reservoir for containing an aerosol precursor material, an inlet port and an outlet port both fluidly connected to the reservoir, and a pressurized fluid for supplying pressurized fluid to the reservoir through the inlet port to the exterior of the reservoir. a control unit configured to increase the pressure in the reservoir relative to the pressure of the reservoir, thereby forcing the aerosol precursor material out of the reservoir through the outlet port. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

The present disclosure relates to electronic aerosol supply systems such as electronic cigarettes.

Electronic aerosol supply systems such as e-cigarettes generally include a reservoir of a raw material liquid containing a formulation usually containing nicotine, from which vapor is produced, for example, by thermal vaporization. Thus, the vapor source of an aerosol supply system may include a heater with a suction element arranged to receive the feedstock liquid from the reservoir, for example by suction / capillarity. While the user inhales in the system, power is supplied to the heating element to vaporize the raw material liquid in the vicinity of the heating element, producing vapor for the user to inhale. Such systems typically include one or more air inlet holes located away from the mouthpiece end of the system. When the user inhales the mouthpiece attached to the end of the mouthpiece of the system, air is drawn through the air inlet hole through the steam source. There is a flow path connecting the steam source to the mouthpiece opening, which allows air drawn through the steam source to travel along the flow path to the mouthpiece opening and steam from the steam source. Part of it is carried with the air in the form of an aerosol. This aerosol exits the aerosol supply system through the mouthpiece opening for the user to inhale.

In such a system, the steam source and heating element can be provided in a disposable "cartomizer" which is a component containing both a reservoir for receiving the raw material liquid and a heating element. The cartomizer is coupled in use to a reusable part (sometimes referred to as a "device" part) that contains various electronic components such as control circuits and batteries that can be used to operate the aerosol supply system. The heating element is powered by the battery via an electrical connection between the cartomizer and the reusable device section. When the raw material liquid in the cartomizer is used up (ie, when substantially all the raw material liquid is vaporized and inhaled), the user replaces the cartomizer and attaches a new cartomizer to continue producing and inhaling the vaporized liquid.

In the electronic aerosol supply system described above, the raw material liquid is generally contained in the reservoir, but may in some cases exit the reservoir via a suction element (usually a fibrous material that communicates with the reservoir). The suction element transfers liquid from the reservoir using capillarity. The raw material liquid can be retained in the suction element to some extent by the capillarity or surface tension of the liquid, but in some cases, the raw material liquid leaks. This leak poses multiple problems for the user of the aerosol supply system, including leakage of the raw material liquid from the system (and leakage to the user's belongings or clothing) and accumulation (ie, retention) of the liquid in the system. May cause, these problems can affect the entire aerosol formed, resulting in an experience that is less stable or less comfortable. In addition, when replacing the cartomizer component, leakage of the raw material liquid may occur (when replacing, the user moves the cartomizer to exert a mechanical force on the liquid held in the suction element. In essence can join).

Describes various techniques that try to help address some of these issues.

According to a first aspect of some embodiments, a reservoir for accommodating an aerosol precursor material, an inlet and outlet ports both fluid-coupled to the reservoir, and an inlet port for pressurized fluid to the reservoir. It comprises a control unit configured to supply through and increase the pressure in the reservoir with respect to the pressure outside the reservoir, thereby forcing the aerosol precursor material out of the reservoir through the outlet port. , Aerosol supply system is provided.

According to a second aspect of some embodiments, the reservoir containing the aerosol precursor material is subjected to pressure outside the reservoir by allowing a pressurized fluid to enter the reservoir through a fluid-coupled inlet port. An aerosol supply device comprising a control unit configured to increase the pressure in the reservoir, thereby forcing the aerosol precursor material out of the reservoir through an outlet port fluidized to the reservoir. Provided.

According to a third aspect of some embodiments, the cartridge comprises a reservoir containing the aerosol precursor material and an inlet and outlet ports both fluid-coupled to the reservoir to receive the pressurized fluid. There is provided a cartridge configured to release the aerosol precursor material from the outlet port when the pressure in the reservoir exceeds a threshold.

According to a fourth aspect of some embodiments, a method of supplying aerosol precursor material from a reservoir is provided, wherein the reservoir comprises an inlet port and an outlet port fluid-coupled to the reservoir. A step of allowing pressurized fluid into the reservoir through the inlet port to increase the pressure inside the reservoir with respect to the pressure outside the reservoir.
It comprises supplying the aerosol precursor material from the reservoir in response to an increased pressure that forces the aerosol precursor material out of the reservoir through the outlet port.

A fifth aspect of some embodiments provides a method of supplying aerosol precursor material from a reservoir, said method comprising increasing the pressure in the reservoir to a value above the threshold value. Above this, the aerosol precursor material can exit the reservoir, and below this threshold, the aerosol precursor material cannot exit the reservoir.

The features and aspects of the invention described above in connection with the first aspect and other aspects of the invention are not limited to the particular combinations described above, but the embodiments of the invention according to other aspects of the invention as needed. It should be understood that the forms are equally applicable and may be combined with these.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings as a mere example.

FIG. 1 includes a device section having a pressurized fluid generator for controlling the flow of liquid or other suitable aerosol precursor material from the reservoir of the cartridge section using the generated pressurized fluid. It is a figure which shows schematically the aerosol supply system by the principle of disclosure. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the cartridge portion of the aerosol supply system of FIG. 1 in more detail, specifically in cross section. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the reusable device unit of the aerosol supply system of FIG. 1 in more detail, specifically without the cartridge unit. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an exemplary operation method of the aerosol supply system of FIG. 5 (a) to 5 (d) are diagrams schematically showing the cartridge portion of the aerosol supply system of FIG. 1 at various times during operation of the aerosol supply system. FIG. 6 is a graph showing the pressure value (y-axis line) in the reservoir of the cartridge portion of the aerosol supply system of FIG. 1 with respect to the operating time (x-axis line) of the aerosol supply system. FIG. 7 is according to the principles of the present disclosure, comprising a device section having a pressurized fluid source for controlling the flow of liquid or other suitable aerosol precursor material from the reservoir of the cartridge section using a pressurized fluid source. It is a figure which shows the alternative embodiment of the aerosol supply system schematically.

Specific examples and embodiments and features are discussed / described herein. Some aspects and features of the particular examples and embodiments can be practiced as before, and these are not discussed / explained in detail for the sake of brevity. Therefore, it should be understood that embodiments and features of devices and methods referred to herein but not described in detail can be performed by any conventional method for implementing such embodiments and features.

The present disclosure relates to an aerosol supply system, also referred to as a vapor supply system, such as an e-cigarette. Throughout the description below, it is understood that the terms "e-cigarette" and "e-cigarette" may be used in some cases, but the term may be used interchangeably with aerosol supply systems and electronic aerosol supply systems. sea bream. The present disclosure can be applied to systems configured to aerosolize, for example, by heating a raw material liquid that may or may not contain nicotine to produce an aerosol. However, the present disclosure can also be applied to systems configured to release a compound by heating a solid / amorphous solid substrate without burning. The substrate may be, for example, tobacco or other non-tobacco products and may or may not contain nicotine. Since in some systems solid / amorphous solid materials are provided in addition to liquid substrates, the present disclosure is also a hybrid system configured to produce aerosols from a combination of substrates. It can also be applied to. More generally, the substrate may include, for example, a solid, liquid, or amorphous solid, all of which may or may not contain nicotine. The hybrid system may include any combination of liquids, amorphous solids, and solid substrates. As used herein, the term "aerosolizable substrate" or "aerosol precursor material" refers to a substrate on which an aerosol can be formed by applying heat or by some other means. .. In addition, as is common in the art, the terms "vapor" and "aerosol" and related terms such as "vaporize", "volatile", and "aerosolize" are also interchangeable. Can be used.

Aerosol supply systems (e-cigarettes) often, but often, include a modular assembly that includes both a reusable section (control unit section) and a replaceable (disposable) cartridge section. Often, the replaceable cartridge section comprises an aerosol precursor material and atomizer assembly, and the control unit section comprises a power source (eg, a rechargeable battery) and a control circuit. It should be understood that these various parts may have additional elements depending on their function. For example, the control unit unit includes a user interface for receiving user input and for displaying operating state characteristics. The cartridge portion is mechanically coupled to the control unit portion to be used, for example, using a thread, a latch or a bayonet fixture. When the aerosol precursor material in the cartridge section is exhausted, or when the user wants to switch to another cartridge section with a different aerosol precursor material, remove the cartridge section from the control unit and replace it with a replacement cartridge. The part can be attached. Devices that fit this type of two-component module configuration are commonly referred to as two-component devices. It is also common for e-cigarettes to have a generally elongated shape. To provide an embodiment, it is to be understood that the particular embodiments of the present disclosure described herein include this type of generally elongated two-part device utilizing a disposable cartridge section. However, the basic principles described herein are various electronic tobacco configurations, such as single-part devices, or modular devices with more than two parts, refillable devices and one-time disposable devices, and eg. It will be appreciated that it can be equally adopted for devices that fit other overall shapes, based on so-called box-mod high performance devices, which typically have a more box-like shape.

In the present disclosure, the reservoir containing the aerosol precursor material is selectively pressurized by the application of fluid, pushing at least a portion of the aerosol precursor material from the reservoir, eg, through an outlet port coupled to the reservoir. With respect to aerosol supply systems and devices. The aerosol precursor material is stored in the reservoir in such a way as to prevent or significantly reduce the possibility of the aerosol precursor material leaving the reservoir by itself, in other words, the reservoir retains the aerosol precursor material in the reservoir. Is configured to increase. For example, the reservoir may include an outlet valve that moves to an open position when sufficient force or pressure is applied. In one embodiment, the reservoir comprises an inlet and outlet valves that act to close the internal volume of the reservoir when no fluid has been added to the reservoir, thereby retaining the liquid better in the reservoir. In the present disclosure, the aerosol precursor material is sufficiently prevented from leaving the reservoir, thereby improving hygiene for both the user handling the device and the growth of microorganisms, as well as being unaerosolized or. An embodiment is presented that provides the potential benefit of reducing the presence of off-flavors and the like from aerosol precursor materials that are not sufficiently aerosolized and affect the aerosol produced.

1 to 3 are schematic views showing aspects of the aerosol supply system 10 according to the various aspects of the present disclosure. The aerosol supply system 10 includes an aerosol supply device unit 20 (for brevity, the device unit 20 in this specification) and a cartridge unit 30 (visible more clearly in FIG. 2). The device portion 20 may also be referred to herein as a "control unit" or "reusable section", and these terms are considered interchangeable herein as a "device section". The cartridge unit 30 is arranged so as to be removably coupled to the device unit 20 as described in more detail below.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a cartridge section 30 coupled to a device section 20, which is one configuration in which a user typically uses an aerosol supply system 10 to generate an aerosol. FIG. 2 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of the cartridge unit 30 separated from the device unit 20. FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a cross section of the device unit 20 in which the cartridge unit 30 is separated from the device unit 20. Note that for the sake of clarity, various components and details, such as wiring and more complex shapes, are omitted in FIGS. 1-3.

The cartridge section 30 includes a reservoir 32 that houses the aerosol precursor material. In this particular embodiment, the aerosol precursor material is a liquid aerosol precursor material (sometimes referred to as a raw material liquid). The raw material liquid may contain nicotine and / or other active ingredients, and / or one or more fragrances. As used herein, the terms "fragrance" and "flavoring" refer to materials that may be used in products for adult consumers to produce the desired flavor or aroma, where permitted by local rules. Point to. The feedstock liquid may also contain other components such as propylene glycol or glycerol. As should be understood, the cartridge section 30 contains a raw material liquid that is aerosolized for user inhalation.

The device unit 20 includes an outer housing 21, a mouthpiece 22 through which the generated aerosol can pass and exit the device unit 20, a receptacle 23 for receiving the cartridge unit 30, a power supply 24, and a control circuit 25. , A pressurized fluid generator 26 and an atomizer 27.

The device portion 20 includes an outer housing 21 that can be formed from, for example, a plastic or metal material. The outer housing 21 has a generally cylindrical shape extending along the longitudinal axis indicated by the dashed line LA, and correspondingly has a generally circular cross-sectional shape when viewed along the longitudinal axis LA. The cartridge portion 30 also has a substantially cylindrical shape extending along the central axis (not shown) of the cartridge portion. However, in other embodiments, the shape and / or cross-sectional shape of the device unit 20 and / or the cartridge unit 30 may be different, elliptical, square, rectangular, hexagonal, or, if necessary, other regular. Or it should be understood that it can have various shapes such as irregular shapes.

The outer housing 21 includes a mouthpiece 22 at one end of the device unit 20, which further includes an opening 22a for allowing the user to inhale the generated aerosol. The mouthpiece 22 is formed integrally with the housing 21 of the device unit 20, but in other embodiments, the mouthpiece 22 is suitable for allowing the mouthpiece to be replaced for hygienic reasons. It can be detachably coupled to the housing 21 by a mechanism, eg, a thread or a push-fit. The mouthpiece 22 defines an end of the device unit 20 that is placed in the user's mouth during normal use of the system 10 or otherwise close to the user's mouth. The mouthpiece end of the device unit 20 is also sometimes referred to as the proximal end. Correspondingly, the opposite end of the proximal end is sometimes referred to as the distal end of the device unit 20. The outer housing 21 also includes a side surface between the proximal and distal ends of the device unit 20, which surface is a surface that the user holds, for example, with his or her hand during normal use.

The device unit 20 generally includes a component having an operating life longer than the expected life of the replaceable cartridge unit 30, which component can be defined by the amount of raw material liquid present in the reservoir 32. The device unit 20 is intended to be used for a plurality of cartridge units 30, and is therefore said to be reusable. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the housing 21 includes a receptacle 23 sized to accommodate the cartridge section 30. This receptacle defines where the cartridge section 30 is coupled to the device section 20. The receptacle 23 is arranged between the distal and proximal ends of the device unit 20. In FIG. 1, the gap between the cartridge portion 30 and the inner wall of the receptacle 23 is emphasized for the purpose of making it easy to understand, but in an actual embodiment, the cartridge portion 30 is the receptacle 23 of the receptacle 23 / cartridge portion 30. It is sized to fit inside. The reusable device unit 20 and the cartridge unit 30 are separable / detachable from each other by pulling the cartridge unit 30 from the device unit 20 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LA. When the cartridge section 30 is coupled to the device section 20, the central axis of the cartridge section 30 coincides with the longitudinal axis LA of the device section 20, as roughly shown in FIG. 1, but in other embodiments. , These axes may be offset from each other.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the receptacle 23 of this embodiment has a semi-cylindrical notch (ie, a portion of the outer housing) in which a semi-cylindrical recess extending into the device portion 20 is arranged underneath. It can be roughly thought of as a semi-cylindrical part with nothing). These two semi-cylindrical portions form a cradle configuration and define a substantially cylindrical volume portion into which the cylindrical cartridge portion 30 can be placed. In this embodiment, half of the cylindrical cartridge portion 30 fits into a semi-cylindrical recess, is covered by an outer housing 21, and the other half of the cartridge portion 30 is exposed. The receptacle 23 and / or the cartridge portion 30 can be shaped such that the outer surface of the cartridge portion 30 roughly matches the outer surface of the housing 21.

The cartridge portion 30 is inserted into the receptacle 23 by pushing the cartridge portion 30 in the direction toward the longitudinal axis LA, and is taken out from the receptacle 23 by pulling the cartridge portion 30 away from the longitudinal axis LA. To facilitate removal of the cartridge section 30, the cartridge section 30 and / or the outer housing 21 may have a functional section that allows the user to grip the cartridge section 30. For example, a protrusion or a recess can be arranged on the outer surface of the cartridge portion 30. The housing 21 and / or the cartridge section 30 may also be provided with a locking mechanism (not shown) that can be used to hold the cartridge section 30 within the receptacle 23 or to aid in holding the cartridge section 30. Alternatively or additionally, a hinged lid on the device 20 may be provided to cover the exposed portion of the cartridge 30 and help hold or hold the cartridge 30 within the receptacle 23.

The cartridge unit 30 is removed from the reusable device unit 20 in order to replace the cartridge unit 30 when the supply of the raw material liquid is exhausted or when the user wants to change the fragrance / type of the raw material liquid. If necessary, it is replaced with another cartridge unit 30.

The reusable device unit 20 further includes a power source 24 such as a battery or battery (eg, a lithium ion battery) for supplying power to the aerosol supply system 10. The battery may be rechargeable and / or replaceable. It should be understood that any suitable battery may be installed within the reusable device unit 20.

The control circuit 25 includes a circuit board that realizes the control function of the aerosol supply device by providing, for example, a (micro) controller, a processor, an ASIC or a control chip of the same shape. The control circuit 25 can be arranged to control any function associated with the system 10, including the operation of the atomizer 27 and the operation of the pressurized fluid generator 26 described in more detail below. However, the control circuit 25 may also charge or recharge the battery 24, a visual indicator (eg, LED) / display device associated with the operating state / status of the device unit 20, or a communication function for communicating with an external device. Can also be controlled. The control circuit 25 can be composed of a printed circuit board (PCB). The functionality realized by the control circuit 25 may be divided between a plurality of circuit boards and / or between components not mounted on the PCB, and these additional components and / or the PCB may be required. It should also be noted that it can be placed within the aerosol supply device accordingly. For example, the function of the control circuit 25 for controlling the (re) charging of the battery 24 can be provided separately (for example, on another PCB) from the function for controlling the discharge.

The pressurized fluid generator 26 is a component capable of generating a pressurized fluid from the initial fluid. In other words, the pressurized fluid generator 26 can increase the pressure of the fluid, which is the first pressure, to the second pressure. In the described embodiment, the pressurized fluid generator 26 is an air compressor 26 and is therefore capable of producing pressurized air. The air compressor 26 is in fluid communication with the external environment of the device unit 20 via one or more air compressor inlets 26b, and the air compressor inlet is arranged on the outer housing 21 and the air compressor 26 is arranged. It may be an opening fluidally coupled to the inlet of the. During operation, the air compressor 26 can draw air from the outside of the device unit 20 through the inlet 26b to generate a pressurized fluid (more specifically, pressurized air) having a pressure higher than that of the environmental air. .. Although the pressurized fluid generator 26 is shown in one particular location in FIG. 1, the generator 26 can be placed at any suitable location within the device section 20 and the generator is located in the cartridge section 30. It should be understood that plumbing etc. can be used for proper connection (more on this below).

Any suitable air compressor 26 may be used according to the principles of the present disclosure. For example, in one embodiment, the air compressor 26 is a piezoelectric pump. The extent to which the air compressor 26 boosts air may vary from embodiment to embodiment depending on the characteristics of the cartridge section 30 (discussed in more detail below). In the described embodiment, the pressure of the pressurized air output from the air compressor is 100-600 mbar, but this value may depend on the operating frequency of the piezoelectric pump and the desired output flow rate.

The atomizer 27 is any component capable of producing an aerosol from the aerosol precursor material. The atomizer 27 may include a resistance heating element, an induction heating element, a vibration mesh, a radiant heat source, a chemical substance and the like. The choice and suitability of the atomizer 27 can be determined by the aerosol precursor material to be aerosolized. As a specific example, in the embodiments described, the atomizer is a heating element 27 comprising a non-conductive substrate (such as ceramic) and a conductive material (such as nichrome) that is heated when an electric current is passed through the material. be. The heating element 27 takes the form of a (rectangular) flat plate. The conductive material is resistance heated (eg, by applying power from the battery 24). The heating element 27 is suitable for reaching a temperature at which the raw material liquid can be vaporized to produce an aerosol, for example in the range of 150 to 350 ° C.

The temperature of the heating element 27 can also be controlled to achieve and / or maintain a particular temperature in certain embodiments. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the device unit 30 may optionally include a heating element temperature sensor such as a resistance temperature detector (RTD) configured to detect the temperature of the heating element 27. In these embodiments, the control circuit 25 can control the power supplied to the heating element 27 in order to achieve or maintain a particular temperature based on the detected temperature of the heating element 27. However, in other embodiments, the temperature of the heating element 27 can be obtained, for example, by a control circuit 25 configured to determine the electrical resistance of the heating element 27, without the use of a separate temperature sensor. ..

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cartridge section 30 includes an outer housing 31, a reservoir 32 defined by the inner surface of the outer housing 31, a raw material liquid 33 in the reservoir 32, an inlet port 34, and an outlet port 35.

The outer housing 31 of the cartridge portion 30 is configured such that a hollow region exists within the outer housing 31. This hollow region defines the reservoir 32 of the cartridge and forms a volume portion configured to store a certain amount of raw material liquid 33, eg, up to 2 mL of raw material liquid. The feedstock liquid 33 is freely supplied in the embodiments described, which means that the feedstock liquid 33 is held primarily by the inner surface of the outer housing 31 and otherwise freely moves within the reservoir 32. However, in other embodiments, the reservoir 32 may include, for example, cotton or foam soaked in the feedstock liquid 33.

The inlet port 34 and the outlet port 35 define the inlet and the outlet of the cartridge unit 30. The inlet port 34 and the outlet port 35 are fluidly coupled to the reservoir 32, thus forming an inlet and an outlet of the reservoir 32, respectively. The inlet port 34 further communicates fluid with the air compressor 26 via the pressurized fluid passage 26a when the cartridge section 30 is coupled to the device section 20, ie, inserted into the receptacle 23. It is arranged to do. The pressurized fluid passage 26a is a flow path for fluidly coupling the outlet of the air compressor 26 and the receptacle 23 (and the inlet port 34 when the cartridge portion 30 is mounted on the receptacle 23). Therefore, the pressurized air generated by the air compressor 26 can proceed to the inlet port 34 of the cartridge unit 30 via the pressurized fluid passage 26a.

When the pressurized fluid passage 26a and the cartridge portion 30 are coupled (ie, when the cartridge portion 30 is inserted into the receptacle 32), pressurized air is guided along the fluid passage 26a to the inlet port 34. In this regard, the pressurized fluid passage 26a and the cartridge portion 30 (rather, the fitting of the pressurized fluid passage 26a and the cartridge portion 30) prevent or reduce the leakage of pressurized air from the pressurized fluid passage 26a. It is configured as follows. In other words, the pressurized fluid passage 26a engages with the cartridge portion 30 and / or the inlet port 34 to form an airtight (or substantially airtight) sealing portion. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, more clearly the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pressurized fluid passage 26a extends slightly into the receptacle 23. The extension portion of the pressurized fluid passage 26a is arranged so as to fit in the recess 34a of the cartridge portion 30, thereby forming a sealing portion. The exposed portion of the recess 34a and / or the pressurized fluid passage 26a may optionally include sealing elements such as an O-ring that aids in the formation of the airtight sealing portion. In order to facilitate the insertion of the exposed portion of the pressurized fluid passage 26a into the recess 34a, one or both of the pressurized fluid passage 26a and the recess 34a are formed of a flexible material (epolymer or the like), and / or the receptacle 23 is formed. The user can insert the cartridge portion 30 into the receptacle 23 and then press the recess 34a of the cartridge portion 30 against the exposed portion of the pressurized fluid passage 26a (in the direction along the longitudinal axis LA). The dimensions are set slightly longer than the length of the cartridge unit 30. It should be understood that this is just one example of how an airtight or substantially airtight fit can be achieved between the cartridge section 30 and the pressurized fluid passage 26a. In another embodiment, the recess can be formed in the receptacle 23 and the input port 34 can be arranged so as to extend into the recess of the receptacle 23. Alternatively, the cartridge section 30 may include another coupling mechanism, such as a thread for coupling to the corresponding thread of the device section 20.

When the cartridge section 30 is coupled to the device section 20, the outlet port 35 is arranged in the vicinity of the heating element 27. The feedstock liquid 33 can travel from the outlet port 35 towards the heating element 27 (more in detail below as described below). In this way, the raw material liquid 33 can be heated after exiting the cartridge section 30 and then forming an aerosol with the air entering the device from the air inlet 28. Although not shown, a guide element (such as a hollow cylindrical tube) may be provided to help guide the raw material liquid 33 discharged from the cartridge unit 30 toward the heater element 27.

The inlet port 34 and the outlet port 35 of the described embodiment include their respective valves, as more clearly shown in FIG. The valves are configured to be urged to a closed / sealed (at least liquidtight) configuration and therefore open in response to a particular threshold pressure applied to each valve. Have been placed. Strictly speaking, the determined threshold pressure at which the valve should open is actually the threshold pressure difference with respect to the environmental pressure outside the reservoir 32. Therefore, the cartridge unit 30 is liquidtight when taken out from the device unit 20, and therefore, the possibility that the raw material liquid 33 leaks from the cartridge unit 30 is low.

However, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, one or more inlet and outlet valves may not be present and instead the inlet and outlet ports 35 may always be open. In these embodiments, careful consideration of the opening size (ie, diameter) of the inlet or outlet port with respect to the raw material liquid 33 provides a liquid tightly sealed configuration, whereby the surface tension of the raw material liquid 33 is specified. Below the threshold pressure of, the raw material liquid 33 is used to prevent the raw material liquid 33 from coming out of the cartridge unit 30. In this case, when the pressure exceeds the point where surface tension can no longer hold the liquid, the liquid is drained from the outlet port 35.

Referring to FIG. 1 again, in the configuration composed of the cartridge unit 30 and the components of the device unit 20, the compressed air generated by the compressor 26 is on the side of the reservoir 32 of the cartridge unit 30 closest to the mouthpiece 22. It is designed to be pushed into. That is, the inlet 34 is generally closer to the mouthpiece 22 than the outlet 35. Generally speaking, during normal use of the aerosol supply system 10, the user holds the system so that the mouthpiece 22 is in or near the user's mouth, but at the distal end (ie, the mouse). The opposite end of the piece 22) is held slightly lower than the end of the mouthpiece. That is, during normal use, the device is held on a slope where the mouthpiece end is lifted above the distal end. This means that the liquid in the reservoir 32 tends to be located near the outlet 35. The structure then helps reduce the likelihood of air being pushed out of the outlet 35 due to the presence of a certain amount of liquid in contact with the outlet 35 during normal use. It should be appreciated that the outlet 35 and the inlet 34 can be located at various positions within the cartridge section 30 (eg, axially offset positions) to help improve this effect.

Next, the operation of such an aerosol supply system 10 will be described with reference to FIG. First, if not already done so, the user attaches the cartridge section 30 containing the raw material liquid 33 to the receptacle 23 of the device section 20 (step S1). As mentioned, in the described embodiment, this step is performed by pushing the cartridge section 30 towards the axis LA of the device section 20 so that the axis of the cartridge section 30 coincides with the axis LA of the device section 20. Includes inserting the cartridge section 30.

Next, in step S2, the user powers on the aerosol supply system 10. In this regard, the housing 21 includes a button or other drive mechanism for transitioning the device unit 20 from the off mode to the on mode in which power is supplied from the power supply 24 to the control circuit 25. In some embodiments, a small amount of power may be supplied to the control circuit 25 even when the device unit 20 is turned off, but in step S2, a larger amount of power is supplied to the control circuit 25. Note that more functional parts can be powered.

In step S3, the device unit 20 monitors the user's operation. This user action indicates that the user wants to inhale the aerosol. For example, the operation may be to operate a button or the like on the surface of the housing 21. For example, the user can press a button and then bring the mouthpiece 22 close to his lips to start inhalation. Alternatively, the operation may be based on the user who actually smokes the mouthpiece 22. For example, the device unit 20 may include a pressure sensor or an air flow sensor (not shown) configured to detect when the user is sucking the device unit 20. If any of the above user actions are detected, the method proceeds to step S4, otherwise the device unit 20 continues to monitor the user actions.

When the user operation is detected in step S3, the control circuit 25 then supplies electric power to the air compressor 26 in step S4 to start the generation of the pressurized fluid (air). In this regard, the control circuit 25 controls the motor of the air compressor 26 to generate pressurized air, for example, by supplying specific power from the battery 24. In step S5, the generated air is applied (or supplied) to the inlet port 34 of the cartridge unit 30 via the pressurized fluid passage 26a. When pressurized air is applied to the inlet port and the pressure is sufficient to overcome the threshold of the valve at the inlet port 34, the valve at the inlet port 34 opens (and thus opens the reservoir 32).

It should be understood that steps S4 and S5 are shown as separate steps, but may actually be performed at about the same time. The air compressor operates by forcibly sending air into the enclosed volume and gradually increasing the pressure of the air in the volume. The enclosed volume is the volume formed by the compressed fluid passage 26a and the (closed) inlet port 34, even if it is a separate storage volume (eg, formed as part of the air compressor 26). It may be a department.

Therefore, when the compressed air is stored in the compressor 26 or separated to the passage 26a, the release of the compressed air can be controlled (for example, by the control circuit 25). For example, when the pressure in the storage volume reaches a certain limit, the control circuit 25 can be configured to release compressed air by opening the valve (the air then moves along the aisle 26). Alternatively, the air compressor 26 can continuously supply air to the passage 26a, whereby the pressure in the passage 26a gradually increases, and therefore steps S4 and S5 are performed substantially simultaneously. In this case, the air pressure in the passage 26a may gradually increase until the valve at the inlet port 34 opens (and when compressed air can enter the reservoir 32).

It should be understood that the air compressor 26 may have several operating parameters that can determine how much the pressure in the reservoir can be varied. For example, the air compressor 26 can be characterized by an output flow rate, eg, X mL of air per second. Depending on the value of X, the pressure threshold of the valve of the input port 34, and the value of the additional "empty" volume defined by the reservoir, the valve of the input port 34 may actually remain open. It can also be closed (until sufficient pressure is accumulated to reopen the valve of input port 34). To present a specific example, in this embodiment the valve of the input port 34 is assumed to remain open.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, what happens when a compressed fluid (that is, compressed air) is applied to the reservoir 32 containing the raw material liquid 33 will be described. 5 (a) to 5 (d) show cross sections of the cartridge section 30 (specifically, the outlet port 35) at various stages during the cycle of applying pressure to the reservoir 32, and FIG. 6 shows the inside of the reservoir 32. It is a graph which shows the pressure P of the above on the y-axis line, and time t on the x-axis line.

FIG. 5A shows the cartridge unit 32 when the pressurized fluid is not applied to the reservoir 32. In this state, the valve of the outlet port 35 is closed. The pressure in the reservoir 32 is the first pressure P1. This state is represented in FIG. 6 from t = ₀ to t = t1, and the figure shows the constant pressure P1 in the reservoir 32. As mentioned above, this is the state before the valve of the input port 34 opens, so the air compressor 26 may be operating for a period up to t ₁ and the compressed fluid is from t ₀ to t ₁ . It should be understood that it may be applied to the valve of the inter-input port 34.

_At time t1, the inlet valve of the input port 34 is opened by the compressed fluid (air) from the air compressor 26. At this point, compressed air can begin to enter the reservoir 32. This is indicated by an arrow in FIG. 5 (b). At time t1, the pressure in the reservoir begins to rise (shown by the ramp after t ₁ in FIG. ₆ ).

_At some point t2, the pressure in the reservoir 32 becomes large enough to open the outlet valve of the outlet port 35. In other words, there is a pressure difference between the inside of the reservoir and the external environment of the valve at the outlet port 35 that causes the valve at the outlet port 35 to open. In FIG. 6, this pressure difference is represented as pressure P2. Therefore, when the pressure in the reservoir 32 reaches the pressure P2, the outlet valve of the outlet port 35 opens, and at that time, a part of the contents of the reservoir 32 (for example, a part of the raw material liquid 33) leaks from the reservoir 32. It will be possible to do. FIG. 5C shows such a situation in which the droplet of the raw material liquid 33 leaks (exits) from the reservoir 32.

At this point, the pressure in the reservoir 32 drops. This pressure drop uses the ideal gas equation PV = nRT and assumes that the air acts as an ideal gas, that the temperature of the air does not change during this process, and that the raw material liquid 33 is incompressible. Can be reasonably explained. In the ideal gas equation, P is the pressure, V is the volume of the container occupied by the ideal gas, n is the number of moles of the ideal gas, R is the gas constant, and T is the temperature of the ideal gas. Under the above assumptions, it will be clear that RT is a constant. Immediately before and after the moment when the raw material liquid is discharged from the reservoir 32, it can be assumed that the number of moles of air in the reservoir is naturally constant (in other words, n is constant). This means that PV is equal to a certain value. As mentioned above, a part of the raw material liquid 33 is discharged from the reservoir 32. This discharged raw material liquid has a certain volume. When the raw material liquid is discharged, the volume that air can occupy in the reservoir 32 increases (by an amount proportional to the volume of the discharged raw material liquid-that the raw material liquid is relatively incompressible). Assuming, the amount of increase is equal to the volume of the raw material liquid). This suggests that the pressure in the reservoir 32 drops to maintain a constant value of nRT.

In FIG. 6, the pressure drops from pressure P2 to P1 from time t ₂ to time t ₃ . In FIG. 6, the period from t ₂ to t ₃ is exaggerated for the sake of clarity. In an actual application, t ₃ is considered to be very close to t ₂ . Further, although FIG. 6 shows the pressure to reach P1 at time t3 _, it should be understood that this may not always be the case. This pressure can be slightly higher than P1 depending on the output flow rate of the air compressor 26 (ie, the molar flow rate of the gas entering the reservoir).

As a result of the pressure drop in the reservoir 32, the outlet valve of the outlet port 35 is urged towards the closed position to prevent additional raw material liquid 33 from exiting the reservoir 32. This is shown in FIG. 5 (d).

Therefore, the pressure in the cartridge section 30 of the present disclosure starts from the first pressure and rises to the second pressure due to the presence of the pressurized fluid in the reservoir 32, and a part of the contents of the reservoir 32 is a reservoir. It can be seen that when discharged from 32, the pressure drops to the original low pressure.

This cycle can be repeated multiple times. Depending on the amount of raw material liquid 33 discharged from the reservoir 32 in each cycle, each cycle described above may be suitable for one blow / one suck of the device unit 20, or a plurality of single blows. Sometimes a cycle is needed. In the latter case, finer control can be applied to the amount of aerosol that can be produced with each blow. In other words, the system 10 can be set to control the amount of aerosol-producing material discharged from the cartridge section 30 per second. It should also be understood that the former or the latter case can be realized by changing the parameters of the components of the device unit 20 and the cartridge unit 30. The volume of the feedstock liquid exiting the cartridge section 30 may depend on various parameters including the geometry of the outlet port, valve characteristics, reservoir characteristics and the like. Further, the amount of raw material liquid 33 discharged per second depends on the output flow rate of the air compressor, and in some embodiments, the control circuit 25 is the output flow rate (or more general) of the air compressor 26. It is configured to control the amount of liquid exiting the cartridge unit 30 by adjusting the flow rate of the pressurized fluid to the reservoir 32. This flow rate can be adjusted based on the user's input, such as an instruction to supply an amount of aerosol-forming material, or according to the characteristics of the user's inhalation.

Referring again to FIG. 4, after steps S4 and S5, the method proceeds to step S6 in which the control circuit 25 supplies power to the atomizer 27. More specifically, the control circuit 25 supplies electric power to the resistance element (s) of the heating element 27 to heat the resistance element (s). The control circuit 25 is configured such that the heating element 27 reaches a temperature suitable for vaporizing the raw material liquid 33 leaving the reservoir 32. As mentioned, this temperature can be in the range of 150 ° C to 350 ° C, depending on the raw material liquid 33 to be vaporized. The raw material liquid 33 exiting the reservoir 32 is then vaporized by the heating element 27.

Although steps S4, S5 and S6 are described in sequence, it should be understood that these steps may be performed in any order. In some cases, the heating element 27 may be powered before the raw material liquid 33 is discharged from the reservoir 32. This may be the case if the heating element 27 requires a certain amount of time to reach the operating temperature (in other words, to cope with the thermal delay). Similarly, step S5 may be performed after step S6 even if both the air compressor 26 and the heating element 27 require a certain amount of time to reach an operating state.

When the user sucks the mouthpiece 22 of the device unit 20, air is drawn into the device unit 20 through the air inlet 28 arranged in the device unit housing 21. The air passage is arranged so as to pass through the heating element 27. This air passage is shown in FIG. 1 by a series of arrows starting from inlet 28. Therefore, when the raw material liquid 33 is vaporized by the heating element 27 as described above, the air mixes with the vapor produced by the heating element 27 to form an aerosol. The user's suction action means that the aerosol then passes through the device section 20 to reach the opening 22a of the mouthpiece 22, and then the aerosol passes through the opening to reach the user's mouth / lungs. do.

In step S7, the control circuit 25 continues to monitor whether there is a user action detected in step S3. If the operation is sustained, the process continues as discussed above (this process may include performing another cycle consisting of steps S4 through S6 described above). If the user operation is not sustained, the method can proceed to step S8 and turn off power to one of the air compressor 26 and / or the heating element 27. The method then proceeds to step S3, where this cycle is repeated for the next user action.

It should be appreciated that the method shown in FIG. 4 is only exemplary and that the device can operate according to a modified method from that shown in FIG. 4 as suggested above. Therefore, the device can be appropriately configured or configured according to immediate use, components used in the device, and / or user preference.

The pressurized fluid generator 26 described above may more commonly be referred to as a source of pressurized fluid. That is, the "source of pressurized fluid" as used herein does not include only the mechanism by which the pressurized fluid is generated from the initial (non-pressurized or underpressurized) fluid described above. It is also believed to include a source of stored pre-pressurized (ie, already pressurized) fluid in the form of, for example, a compressed air canister.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the aerosol supply system 110 including a reservoir of pressurized fluid. The system 110 of FIG. 7 contains many components similar to or identical to those described with respect to FIG. These components are shown with the same reference numerals used with respect to FIG. 1, and therefore repetitions of the description of these components are not presented herein for the sake of brevity.

The device section 120 of the aerosol supply system 110 goes to the pressurized fluid reservoir 126 and the cartridge section 30 (similar to the cartridge section 30 described in FIG. 1), as opposed to the air compressor 26 and the control circuit 25. It differs from the device unit 20 of the aerosol supply system 10 of FIG. 1 in that it includes a control circuit 125 suitable for controlling the discharge of the pressurized fluid.

More specifically, the device unit 120 comprises a pressurized fluid reservoir 126, including a compressed air canister in this example. However, it should be understood that any suitable container containing the pressurized fluid of any description may be used in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The pressurized fluid reservoir is prepressed prior to being attached to the device section 120, for example, using known techniques for filling containers containing the pressurized fluid. Therefore, as used herein, a reservoir of pressurized fluid may also be referred to as a pre-pressurized reservoir of fluid. The pre-pressurized fluid reservoir may be separable from the device section 120, just as the cartridge section 30 is separable from the device section 120. Therefore, the pre-pressurized reservoir should be removed and replaced with another pre-pressurized reservoir if the pressurized fluid runs out or the pressure becomes too low to operate the inlet valve of the inlet port 34. It is possible. The control circuit 125, for example, by monitoring the pressure of the fluid discharged from the prepressurized reservoir with an appropriate sensor (not shown) or by recording the usage of the prepressurized reservoir. It can be equipped with a function to specify when the pre-pressurized reservoir is exhausted.

The device unit 120 further includes a pressurized fluid passage 126a which is substantially the same as the fluid passage 26a described in connection with FIG. However, the fluid passage 126a of this example further comprises a release element 126c. The release element 126c is an actuable member configured to selectively close the fluid passage 126a. The release element 126c can be urged towards the closed position. The emission element 126c can be controlled by the control circuit 125. More specifically, the control circuit 125 is configured to activate the release element 126c to open the passage 126a when the user action is detected in step S3 of FIG. In the closed state, the release element 126c blocks (or significantly reduces) the flow of prepressurized fluid from the reservoir 126 to the inlet port 34. However, in the open state, the prepressurized fluid can leak out of the reservoir 126 and proceed along the inlet port 34. The release element 126c allows a fluid such as compressed air to selectively exit a otherwise sealed container, such as an actuator used in a pressurized deodorant can or a pressurized paint can. You can use any suitable technique that can be used for. The release element 126c can be placed within the device (eg, as part of the fluid passage 126a described) or as part of the container forming the reservoir 126 (eg, as part of the nozzle or valve of the container). I want to be understood. In the latter case, the reservoir 126 and / or the device unit 120 may include an engagement mechanism that allows the release element 126c to engage with the device unit 120 and be actuated by the device unit.

In some embodiments, the control circuit 125 is configured to control the flow of fluid to the inlet port 34 (and thus to the reservoir 32) based on the various degrees of actuation of the discharge element 126c. be able to. For example, slow flow rates can be achieved by opening the actuator only partially. In this way, the control circuit 125 can be configured to control the administration of the raw material liquid 33 to the heating element 27.

It should also be noted that the housing 121 of the device unit 120 is substantially similar to the housing 21 described in connection with FIG. However, since the device unit 120 includes the fluid pre-pressurized reservoir 120, there is no need for the air inlet 26b as described in connection with FIG. The reason is that the pre-pressurized fluid reservoir does not generate pressurized fluid from outside the device unit 120.

This provides a pressurized fluid to the reservoir through the reservoir for accommodating the aerosol precursor material, the inlet and outlet ports both fluid-coupled to the reservoir, and the inlet port to the pressure outside the reservoir. An aerosol supply system has been described that comprises a control unit configured to increase the pressure in the reservoir and thereby force the aerosol precursor material out of the reservoir through the outlet port.

Although the device units 20 and 120 are configured to supply the pressurized air to the inlet port 34 of the cartridge unit 30, another pressurized fluid may be supplied to the cartridge unit 30. Please understand that. For example, another gas may be pressurized and supplied to the cartridge unit 30. Alternatively, a liquid such as water or oil may also be supplied to the cartridge section 30. In an embodiment in which the cartridge unit 30 accommodates a liquid such as the raw material liquid 33, it is preferable that the supplied liquid is immiscible (that is, immiscible) with the raw material liquid 33. In this way, the immiscible liquid acts to move the raw material liquid 33 from the cartridge section 30. Even if this liquid is lighter than the raw material liquid 33, it ensures that the raw material liquid is drained from the cartridge part 30 depending on how the device units 20 and 120 are oriented during normal use. It may be heavy.

It has been described above that the device unit 20 including the pressurized fluid generator (air compressor 26 or the like) additionally includes an air inlet 26b for drawing air from the outside of the device unit 20 through the inlet 26b. , This is not always necessary. In some embodiments, the pressurized fluid generator 26 is configured to pressurize a liquid such as water, or a gas other than air. In these embodiments, the pressurized water or gas is fed to a reservoir / container that can be integrated with or inserted into the device section 20 (similar to the reservoir 126). However, in these embodiments, the pressurized fluid generator 26 is configured to pressurize the fluid stored in the container in response to user input. This configuration may be advantageous as the container does not need to be pressurized prior to use (as in the case of device unit 120) and therefore may be easier for the user to refill or replace in some cases.

It has also been described above that the cartridge section 30 includes a liquid reservoir containing a raw material liquid that acts as a vapor / aerosol precursor. However, in other embodiments, the cartridge section 30 can accommodate other forms of aerosol precursor material, such as tobacco leaves, ground tobacco, recycled tobacco, gels, and the like. According to the principles of the present disclosure described herein, the degree to which more solid / gel type aerosol precursor materials can exit the cartridge section 30 when the cartridge section 30 is not oriented normally is relative. Although in some cases, the present disclosure nevertheless applies to any form of aerosol precursor material. That is, the present disclosure generates an aerosol from a combination of a nonflammable aerosol supply system such as a heated product that releases a compound from the substrate without burning the substrate such as an electronic cigarette, and a tobacco heated product and the substrate. With respect to the hybrid system. Substrates, optionally referred to herein as aerosol precursor materials or aerosolizable materials, can include any of liquid, gel or solid substrates.

It should also be appreciated that the cartridge section 30 may comprise a combination of aerosol precursor materials. It should be appreciated that any suitable type of vaporizing / heating element may be selected according to aspects of the present disclosure, such as wicks and coils, oven heaters, LED heaters, vibrators and the like.

It has also been loosely described above that the cartridge section 30 does not contain the heating element 27 (or more generally the vaporizing element). In some embodiments, the cartridge section 30 may include a heating element 27 integrated with the cartridge section 30 such that the heating element 27 is discarded with the cartridge section 30. In this case, the cartridge unit 30 may include an electrical connection unit for electrically connecting the heating element 27 to the power supply 24 of the device unit 20.

In other embodiments, the cartridge unit 30 may be omitted, instead the device unit 20 may include an aerosol precursor material reservoir capable of directly receiving an amount of aerosol precursor material. For example, the device unit may include a reservoir with a removable cap (eg, a screw engagement cap) that allows the raw material liquid to be placed in the device unit 20. (Alternatively, an alternative method for considering such an embodiment is that the cartridge unit 30 is integrated with the device unit 20). The present disclosure also applies to such a steam supply system 10.

It has been described above that the receptacle 23 forms a cradle-like recess, but it should be understood that other mechanisms for accommodating the cartridge section 30 may be implemented instead. For example, the housings 21 and 121 may include two removable portions that are separable from each other along the longitudinal LA. When combined, the two parts define the enclosed cylindrical receptacle 23, but when separated, these two parts allow access to the cylindrical receptacle 23. That is, in the separated state, the user can insert or remove the cartridge portion 30 by pulling or pushing the cartridge along the direction of the longitudinal axis LA. The alternative mechanism may include, for example, a movable cradle that is hinged to the housing 21 and moves in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LA. Those skilled in the art will know an alternative method that allows the cartridge unit 30 to be loaded into the device units 20, 120.

Although the above embodiments have focused on some specific exemplary aerosol supply systems in some respects, it will be appreciated that the same principles apply to aerosol supply systems that use other techniques. That is, the particular way in which the various aspects of the aerosol supply system work is not directly related to the underlying principles of the examples described herein.

The above disclosure can be applied to systems configured to aerosolize, for example, by heating a raw material liquid that may or may not contain nicotine in order to produce an aerosol. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure is also applicable to systems configured to release a compound by heating a solid / amorphous solid substrate without burning. The substrate may be, for example, tobacco or other non-tobacco products and may or may not contain nicotine. In some systems, solid / amorphous solid materials are provided in addition to the raw material liquid, so the disclosure also produces aerosols by heating a combination of substrates without burning. It can also be applied to a hybrid system configured as such. Other combinations such as solid and amorphous solid substrates are also within the scope of the present disclosure. More generally, the substrate may contain, for example, a solid, liquid, or amorphous solid, which may or may not contain nicotine.

In order to address various problems and advance the art, the present disclosure exemplifies various embodiments in which the claimed invention (s) can be practiced. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are merely representative of embodiments and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. These advantages and features are presented only to help and teach the claimed invention (s). The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects of the present disclosure limit the present disclosure as defined by the claims, or the equivalents of the claims. It should be understood that it should not be construed as being, and that other embodiments may be utilized and amended without departing from the claims. Various embodiments may, or consist essentially of, various combinations of disclosed elements, components, features, members, steps, means, etc., and thus are dependent. It will be appreciated that the features of the claims may be combined with the features of the independent claims in combinations other than those explicitly stated in the claims. The present disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims (24)

A reservoir for accommodating aerosol precursor material,
Inlet and outlet ports, both fluid-connected to the reservoir,
Pressurized fluid is supplied to the reservoir through the inlet port to increase the pressure in the reservoir with respect to the pressure outside the reservoir, thereby causing the aerosol precursor material to move from the reservoir to the outlet port. An aerosol supply system with a control unit configured to force out through. The outlet port is configured to allow the aerosol precursor material to exit the reservoir through the outlet port when the pressure in the reservoir is greater than or equal to the threshold pressure. The aerosol supply system described. The aerosol of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a source of pressurized fluid, wherein said source of pressurized fluid is configured to allow fluid communication with said inlet port of said reservoir. Supply system. The electronic aerosol supply system according to claim 3, wherein the source of the pressurized fluid is at least one of a pressurized fluid generator and a pre-pressurized fluid reservoir that produces the pressurized fluid. The electronic aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control unit further includes a controller, and the controller is configured to control the flow of the pressurized fluid. The electronic aerosol supply system of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to control the amount of aerosol precursor material leaving the reservoir by controlling the amount of pressurized fluid entering the reservoir. The electronic aerosol supply system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to receive an input and control the flow of the pressurized fluid based on the input. The electronic aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the outlet port comprises a valve. The electronic aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the inlet port comprises a valve. The electronic aerosol supply system of claim 9, wherein the valve of the inlet port is configured to open in response to the pressurized fluid. The valve of the inlet port is configured to open when the pressure applied by the pressurized fluid exceeds the first threshold, and the outlet valve is configured so that the pressure in the reservoir is the second threshold. The electronic aerosol supply system according to claim 9 or 10, which is configured to open when the pressure exceeds. One of claims 1 to 11, wherein the control unit comprises a pump configured to selectively generate the pressurized fluid, wherein the pump is in communication with the inlet port. The electronic aerosol supply system described in the section. The control unit comprises a pre-pressurized container configured to contain the pressurized fluid and selectively discharge the pressurized fluid, wherein the pre-pressurized container has the inlet port and the fluid. The electronic aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, which is arranged in communication with each other. The addition is configured such that the control unit comprises a housing, the housing fluid coupling to the inlet port and allowing pressurized fluid to flow along the pressurized fluid passage to the inlet port. The electronic aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, which defines a pressure fluid passage. 15. The electronic aerosol supply system of claim 14, wherein the housing further defines the aerosol precursor passage, which is configured to allow the aerosol precursor material to pass along the aerosol precursor passage. Any one of claims 1-15, wherein the control unit comprises an atomizer and the outlet port is arranged such that the aerosol precursor material exiting the outlet port is atomized by the atomizer. The electronic aerosol supply system described in. The electronic aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the pressurized fluid is a gas. The electronic aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the system comprises a cartridge separable from the control unit, wherein the cartridge comprises the reservoir, an inlet port and an outlet port. 18. The electronic aerosol of claim 18, wherein both the inlet port and the outlet port are provided with valves, the inlet valve and the outlet valve being configured to be closed when the cartridge is removed from the housing. Supply system. A reservoir containing the aerosol precursor material is allowed to enter a pressurized fluid through an inlet port fluidly coupled to the reservoir to increase the pressure in the reservoir with respect to the pressure outside the reservoir. An aerosol supply device comprising a control unit configured to force the aerosol precursor material out of the reservoir through an outlet port fluid-coupled to the reservoir. A cartridge containing a reservoir containing an aerosol precursor material, an inlet port for receiving a pressurized fluid, and an outlet port, both of which are fluid-coupled to the reservoir, and the pressure in the reservoir sets a threshold. A cartridge configured to release the aerosol precursor material from said outlet port when exceeded. A method of supplying aerosol precursor material from a reservoir, wherein the reservoir comprises an inlet port and an outlet port fluidly coupled to the reservoir.
A step of injecting a pressurized fluid into the reservoir through the inlet port in order to increase the pressure in the reservoir with respect to the pressure outside the reservoir.
A method comprising supplying the aerosol precursor material from the reservoir in response to the increased pressure of forcing the aerosol precursor material out of the reservoir through the outlet port. A method of supplying aerosol precursor material from a reservoir,
Including the step of increasing the pressure in the reservoir to a value above the threshold, the aerosol precursor material can exit the reservoir above this threshold, and below this threshold the aerosol precursor material can exit the reservoir. No way. The pressure in the reservoir is a first value before increasing the pressure in the reservoir, and after the pressure in the reservoir has increased to a second value, the aerosol precursor material exits the reservoir. The method of claim 22 or 23, wherein the value is reduced to a third value.

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